Dangerous liaisons? You can be one.

If you're a "people person" and customer service is your specialty, Mayor Sam Adams has a job for you. It's a full-time job that pays up to $50,000 per year (depending on experience) with a strong benefits package beginning no later than July 23, 2009.

The position is Public Advocate in the Bureau of Transportation. As Sam's Transportation Public Advocate, you will investigate and respond to the wide range of transportation-related inquiries and concerns that citizens and businesses direct to the mayor. It's a demanding job that requires an ability to address a range of issues in a timely and effective manner. It's also a rewarding job because you help Portlanders in a direct, hands-on way.

To do the job well, you need to interact with people in a calm, professional, and compassionate manner at all times—even when people don't afford you the same courtesy. With the help of your team members you'll work every day to become conversant on the issues that interest and concern citizens and quickly develop an appropriate response. Being a team player is essential. At the same time, you'll need the discipline, motivation, and organization to respond to citizens and resolve matters in a timely way without direct oversight.

Additionally, you will help coordinate constituent response between the bureaus the Mayor oversees. Each bureau has its own Public Advocate, and you will help ensure the response to citizens remains consistent across bureaus.

If this sounds like a great fit for you, please submit:
* A one-page cover letter;
* Resume;
* Three references; and
* a maximum three-page writing sample (that includes an example of how you have provided good customer service) to:

They left out: "You will occasionally be asked to deliver envelopes of cash to troubled gay teens. You'll need the discipline, motivation, and organization to do what you're told and not say anything. The position may expire this fall following the recall election."

So, next winter, this person, in lieu of Adams, will do the presser with the snow shovel and admonish us, trapped in our homes by unplowed streets, to clear our own walks? And advise the restaurateurs -- those who have survived last December -- to do the same?

Perhaps this person can provide the narration for the YouTube videos of vehicles sliding into other vehicles or failing to climb an icy hill -- the images of Portland that have entertained the world the past few years?

If this position and person is anything like the completely unqualified nd unaware Roland Champowski who Commissioner Sam had handling the commissionersam.com blog it will be nothing but a public BS tool.

One major element in the downfall of local government started when public officials decided to add public relation staff, advocacy people, liaisons and whatever you want to call them to their staff.

Since these officials are elected, representing all the diverse interests of all the citizens, then why is it proper to have advocates promoting one viewpoint in disregard to all the various interests?

Roland of Adams staff is a strong proponent of his bosses and his own viewpoint on transportation. Most times he doesn't even begin to listen to other viewpoints but quickly charges into lobbying for his viewpoint. This attitude is exhibited in many other Commissioner's staff, as well in even different city bureaus and extends to Metro and TriMet.

Most are not listening but advocating. That is not what I thought government was about.

The saddest part is, when budget cuts strike the transportation bureau, it won't be the Advocate who loses his job, but some poor guy who actually does meaningful work (and yes, there ARE some out there!).

That's a leadership position in the Department of When-You've-Had-Enough Exceptions-that-You-Have-No-Rules.

Once upon a time, there was an idea of general government that everybody who asked the same question got the same answer. It represented a value called "equity" which is part of a larger concept called "democracy". Now we have a system based 30% on the squeaky wheel principle, 60% on the whiskey and cigars principle, and 10% on the It-Says-Here-in-the-Code-Somewhere principle.

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 155
At this date last year: 241
Total run in 2015: 271
In 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269